Round 1

[junkerzam]

After weeks of exciting and heartbreaking qualifiers we now have our full line-up for FFA Masters League season 25!

Congratulations to Kenth2566, SomethingWicked, b2w.TrunkzZz, SosoHasRedHair, Audigy and Pyatac who claimed the final 6 slots.

This silvery anniversary season we pay homage to the original style of FFA Masters League with randomly generated opponents and classic maps, while also introducing some of the new awesome maps that were produced by the community in the making a map contest earlier this year. Maps are chosen in the same manner as in the the qualifiers with votes of a set of given maps.

Also new to this season is the option to see the picks of the rounds presented live and play by play with our new game generator-tool, see link for the video below. The games are also posted below in the spoiler section if you don't want to listen to a hangover swede prattle on for 15 minutes.

We're pleased to see new talented players alongside a couple of scarred old schoolers participate this season and look forward to many spectacular and action packed games the coming months! Find your scheduling threads and get started.

The Map Pool:

• Greenville Woods
• Twisted Meadows FML
• Market Square

The Matches

Link to video: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/139623289

And in the normal format:

(click to show/hide)

M1
Audigy
Junkerzam
Zs.SuperCumulo
Noexxx

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforment-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet]

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

[ZsSuperCumulo]

Predictions:

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

Trunks has the skill the 2v1 anyone so, my money is on him. Renaud and Eshan meet again, after that 3 hour game on sanctuary from last year  .

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforment-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet]

Anyone's game, but I'll be cheering for Captain Mog! 

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

This game will be hilarious, Dinamo and Gradient may be the strongest here, it will ultimately depend on the map. Also, will ena be able to play from arena ? O.o. Dinamo is the safest pick imo.

M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

Another strong cast, I think weakUD and SW are clear favorites since they've been very active in Grybby's league and have developed a good sense for ffa. My take is that weakUD will win. Wreck has been inactive lately and fetta will probably be rushed given he plays orc.

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

Very interesting game and well balanced in skills, it's anyone's game really. Qwest and Jaod have similar styles while Shave usually wins his 1v1s but then loses due to teaming. I will be cheering for my comrade Jaod :).

[FML|Renaud]

Betting links are up!

Also, based on feedback, instead of going back 50 coins if you go broke, you will only go back to 10 coins

Not sure if it was announced before? I've sort of been busy :)

[ZsSuperCumulo]

yes, that's a good call. It prevents people from going all in and recover their losses in no time if they get lucky with the bet.

[ena1337]

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

This game will be hilarious, Dinamo and Gradient may be the strongest here, it will ultimately depend on the map. Also, will ena be able to play from arena ? O.o. Dinamo is the safest pick imo.

I can confirm from BNet that I will be able to play (from BNet). The new FML bot is crossrealm connected to BNet. I just tested it today together with Aarnikrati. Looking forward to it. You should better adjust your bets.

[FML|Mog]

Predictions:

M1
Audigy
Junkerzam
Zs.SuperCumulo
Noexxx

I know Noexxx hasn't had time to play much since last season....but he is the reigning FML champ so how can I bet against him?!

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

Depends on map a lot I think. If it is TM then Renaud and Eshan will have more trouble, but if it is Market or Greenville then I think Eshan will pull it out. Maybe it is the Ravenclaw bias.

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforment-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet]

Really anyone's game I think, pretty evenly skilled cast.

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

Dinamo plays quite a lot, and I think he might be just a tier above the other players. But who knows, Gradient has come close before, so maybe this is going to be his first FML win!

M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something about SomethingWicked I really like. Everytime I play against him or watch him play he just seems like a very solid and smart player. This will be a tough game though, with a couple loose cannons in... well all 3 of the other players. I'll go with the guy who has shown he can keep it cool.

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

After last season + TBR I've really become a Qwest fan. I think he might be the best ffa player at the moment. But we'll see; he has a very tough match here with 2 very cunning players in jaod and slythe; and also an aggressive suiciding orc (shave).


edit: just noticed, if I had voted for fetta in M5 then I would have voted for all Ravenclaw players lol. RAVENCLAW #1

[SweeT]

M1
Audigy
Junkerzam
Zs.SuperCumulo
Noexxx

I think Junkerzam will win this one IMO, noexxx and cumulo will be the focus

M2
SweeT
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

I always bet on myself :P

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforment-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet]

Mog Skynet will win this I think, TLeilaxu necrowagon won't suffice, and the others are kinda below mog I think.

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

Lol, anal

M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

ToX  is strong but too reckless :D I think patient Wicked will take it late game in 3 way

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

Qwest will be big target, especially since jaod and shaved are here they will know to focus him. Because of this shaved will take win going slightly under radar

[SosoHasRedHair]

M1
Audigy
Junkerzam
Zs.SuperCumulo
Noexxx (wins)
 
Games like this are the reason why the qualifier shouldve been bigger! apart from audigy its a  complete noob cast. Okay some realtalk I hope map is market fucking square and i expect a nice and entertaining game! last game I saw of audigy this week Iam not sure if he killed a single unit of tyrant so hes the clear underdog in my eyes. Noe keeps to evolve away from trusting in his micro to win games and goes more into the cumulo way of "i let my main die with 12k and hope they stop teaming" I musst admit thats sad to see and I despise this playstyle but since hes my good friend Iam still gonna be cheering for him. I think this will be between NOE CUMULO JUNKER with Noe as the most skilled fighting with Junkers Orc the 1n1 and Cumulo is trolling around in the meantime with his usual 30k gold bank but without a mainbase.

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz (win)
Renaud

Depends a lot on the Bot that is used since trunks and sweets playstyle is more micro oriented while renaud and eshan are more manip/hoarding based. Renaud has 0% chance of defeating trunks in fights even with 100 vs 60 food hes still gonna lose. So he will have to team Trunks hard. It would be the smartest to kill Renaud first for Trunks Since Sweet and Eshan wont team him as hard as Renaud +1 would. If trunks kills Renaud first hes my bet to take this.

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforment-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet](win)

This should be between Mog and Laxu. Both can take it but Mog is way more Tryhard/dedicated so Iam gonna go with him

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo(win)
Ena1337

This cast is worthy of an FML FINAL. It feels like just last week that Gradient did win a 4way ffa with NOEXXX TRUNKS WEAKUD. Oh wait that was last week! But will demolishing and humiliating these 3 no micro noobs be enough to beat ena dinamo and Kent? I doubt so. The W3arena Bann made Ena only stronger over the past years. Hes playing wc3 now in Supersayajin Mode! But since hes bald af we cant see his hair turning blond. Kent on the other hand just found his grand grand grandfather Ivans Recept for secret family Vodka 98%. 1 bottle in the morning and 1 bottle right before the game starts and hes unstoppable. In the Meantime Dinamo already talked to ena about attacking gradient from 2 different sides and splitting the polish territory between them like our ancestors did before.

M5
Fetta_ook(win cuz its Fetta fucking ook)
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

I see Fetta_ook I like

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

well shit 2 russian undeads my preparations for this game start now:

&t=8s

[FML|Renaud]

So I have no clue who trunk is, but I'm starting to be scared

edit: watched the qualifier replay... yeah... gonna need that full 50k to stand a chance!

[Peregrine]

M1
Audigy
Junkerzam
Zs.SuperCumulo
Noexxx

Audigy is a tome for these players. Noexxx is amazing and the reigning champion, but Junker is very talented and Cumulo is smart, they won't let Noe win here. Noe should choose a small map, and Junker should try to flourish while the two HU focus each other. If these things dont happen, SneakyCumulo will manip the win.

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

I mean...

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforcement-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet]

Steppin can play very well, reinforcement seems to be very lucky, and laxu can be cunning. Mog is the best player here but he will have the best luck if he tomes laxu, and finesses the 3way. Go Ravenclaw!

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
ena1337

Random matchmaking lol. Team Russia will unite and Dinamo who has gotten a lot better past two seasons will take the glory. Go Ravenclaw!


M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

Wrecktify doesnt always do well in round 1 because hes rusty. Wicked can be quite good, but Tox is the best if left unchecked. Fetta cant rly 1v1 any of these guys so he will prob try to sneak a win by laying low and teaming.

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

No one mentioned Slythe which is probably how he likes it. Shave can dominate 1v1 but might lose steam to teaming. He will have a big race advantage this game. With Tyrant, Maga, and Dv out this season, Qwest is best UD. Hes also very smart and he likes to practice, so that could give him the edge.

[aarnikratti]

M1
Audigy
Junkerzam
Zs.SuperCumulo
Noexxx

Noe should be a favourite here, he will trust that he could tome someone with his fast t3 griffon+innerfire push, getting am 6 and then cleaning the entire map with his mass teleport. Cumulo's and Junker's chances comes better the longer the game lasts. Cumulo will use his cunning and manip skills, and Junkerz is very strong with ud/elf whereas his hu/orc probably is not as good. Audigy's chances are in that if other players overlook him much.

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

In this match there's the micro-king trunkzzz and the manip-king Eshan, and I think on paper they are two favourites here. In turn, Sweet is very overlooked in FFA-scene, he can play his orc race in very high level. And never should count out Renaud, the former FML Champion and the ex-king of FFA; microwise he probably isn't as good as other players here, but he is an intelligent player and has a lot of experience.

M3
SteppinRazor
Reinforment-
Tleilaxu
Mog[skynet]

I like this cast, its well balanced. Steppin and Mog are players with a lot of experience and they rarely make big mistakes in their gameplay. In terms of manip and tactics, I think Laxu bases his gameplay most on these elements, lets see if he trust on standard ud tactic here or alternatively go necrowagon with a DR-first hero combo. As a special ace player here is Reinforceement, he can play solid micro based game and many people tend to forget that he was in S23 semifinals and also won games in Team Battle Royale.


M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

This match will be close between Ena and Dinamo. Dinamo trains a lot and his game sense has also improved much, which has made him a competitive player. About Ena then: he has been a top player in many FFA games what he has played recently (inhouses, tbr, dno-cup) and he is especially dangerous if he gets high hero levels; so far he is much better player than i thought before. What will bring grey-hair to Ena and Dinamo in this match is Gradient. He is extremely annoying player to play against, whether it's not hard to win fights against him, the difficulties will come when he starts doing his triple-staff-of-tp-hero harass and other stuff. Kent is the fourth player in this match, lets see what he can do here.

M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

SomethingWicked is my favourite here. He is calm and patient, also his state of mind is not as suicidal as other players' here. This game will probably come up with the situation where Wreck and WeakUD suicide each other while Wicked tome Fetta with t3 air rush. But if this my prediction will not happen, this match has potential to be one of the best matches of this round.


M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

The most skilled cast of this round. All of these players are playing actively and keeping their skill up with inhouses and other matches. This can be anyone's game but I think overall qwest has most potential to perform dominant way. Pyatac (aka Jaod) has very similar playstyle with Qwest and he can surely be a big threat for everyone too. Shave will go pick his very strong orc race - in spite of all his words of picking random - which will make him tought to beat if the game last long and he is able to get high hero levels. As a fourth but not the least there is Slythe who can use his experience and great decision making skills, which can turn the game on his favour.   

[Tleilaxu]

M2
Sweet
Eshan
b2w.TrunkzZz
Renaud

It's quite impressive how Trunkz manages to play wc3 while being severely mentally ill. I he can win this.

M4
KENT2566
Gradient
Dinamo
Ena1337

I heard Gradient won, so I'm just going to predict Ena getting tomed by Kent, because Kent is 2 stronk.

M5
Fetta_ook
WeakUD
SomethingWicked
Wrecktify

Gotta go with Shrecktify here.

M6
Qwest
SosoHasRedHair
Pyatac
Slythe

I think Qwest is too good atm.